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Predicting BOTW2’s Overworld

Aldric

Member
I can sort of see already how the new gameplay is going to make this game’s exploration revolutionary. Yes, revolutionary to the gaming community. A lot of games will see what BOTW’s sequel accomplishes and it will set a new benchmark in gaming
Are you talking about the ability that seemingly allows Link to "swim" through stone? I agree it could potentially make traversal really interesting but it depends on how extensive the mechanic is. It also seems to be a much better fit for underground exploration which was what I hoped this game would focus on, but again maybe that's what they'll show next.
 

Soodanim

Member
I want a smaller, more condensed world than BotW, which means we’ll get a larger, more sparse world that’s even less like a Zelda game.
 

Cutty Flam

Banned
Are you talking about the ability that seemingly allows Link to "swim" through stone? I agree it could potentially make traversal really interesting but it depends on how extensive the mechanic is. It also seems to be a much better fit for underground exploration which was what I hoped this game would focus on, but again maybe that's what they'll show next.
That’s it, that is the gameplay mechanic that opens up everything. I can already see the potential and imagine what could be done. Near limitless exploration and gameplay. But my imagination sort of strays to the idea that perhaps Hyrule itself will be under a spell of some kind of wicked magic that pervades and affects the reality of the land. Almost like a different realm, maybe in a way it can be…It would all depend on the villain(s)
 

Soodanim

Member
Something like Termina?
If only we had a world with that much to do and influence. I’d settle for it feeling like a Zelda game instead of a new IP reskinned as Zelda.

Take the best of the trials and condense them into some proper dungeons, and you’re in the right direction. Instead of the battle trials, which I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone praise, how about some mini bosses like the most widely praised Zeldas did.

After that we can get the overworld sorted out. Give the world more of a society now that Calamity Ganon is taken care of. The downside of getting all of your powers early so you can do anything and having no permanence outside of the MS was that the overworld didn’t really have much of a purpose outside of the few and far between pockets of civilisation. Even outfits didn’t provide much of interest, because they set it up so you can go to the end boss immediately. That’s fine as a gimmick to showcase your engine and systems, but it devalues a lot.

Even with time rewinding and things being reverted, Termina’s world felt like the opposite. So much has value. I prefer that end of the spectrum, personally.
 

Cutty Flam

Banned
I still think there is going to be a large emphasis on ‘levels’ of the overworld in this sequel

From top to bottom within the overworld, here are some of my predictions

1. Troposphere and Stratosphere exploration, possibly a realm of some sort to enter above

2. Sky Islands. These will probably feature some of the dungeons and mini-dungeons

3. Mountains. Traveling through them and discovering mines, caves, and civilizations or organized ranks of enemies

4. Ground Level Terrain. This will be the standard exploration experience we all witnessed in BOTW while playing. I’m also predicting at least one last Shrine will be present in Hyrule, one that will actually be a major dungeon with a great theme and design, that also holds great importance to the story

5. Underwater Exploration. Ponds Rivers, Lakes, and Oceans to the very bottom portion or bed of the sea. No question that there will be at least one dungeon of some kind taking place underwater

6. Grottos and Caves just below the surface. Ideas that are more akin to what was shown in the likes of OoT, MM, and TP but of course taking on their own direction and identity

7. Underground deep below; possibly even an some kind of underworld involving particular enemies…probably catacombs, civilizations escaping here beneath the land of Hyrule. Those such as the Sheikah, for the making of plans and the discussings of how to execute such plans in an all out attack using their technology against the enemy

8. Deep within the core of the planet, I have a feeling that the secondary villain (if there happens to be one) or maybe even final villain may arrange for its final battle to take place in this location where a lair or palace of some kind resides. A wild guess, but maybe
 

BlackTron

Member
Classic Zelda has a dense feel to the world, like there are things hiding behind all of the map's sprites, because you know there are temples, caves, grottos, pits leading to areas when you fall in...you just never really know what might be there.

BOTW didn't have that feel, walking around on the grass felt like the bottom layer of the universe. This is how I feel they get too much praise for borrowing from Zelda 1, they left behind important parts of its design. If they borrowed from it more, we would probably have gotten the best Zelda yet.

Nintendo always seems to deftly sidestep greatness with one or two gigantic glaring flaws so I'm a little wiser now and am not getting too hyped. I hope it will be great and I will give it a chance. I'm pretty sure it will have some new stuff that is very slick but it could still stumble on the fundamentals again just like BOTW.
 

Cutty Flam

Banned
The only thing I know from the history of the Zelda series is.....
It's not going to be what you expect.

Im actually rather shocked they even did a sequel to Breath of the Wild.
It makes a lot of sense to go this route, and I’m still a little bit surprised myself. This will be the first time since 2000 that we see a major sequel like this taking place. An epic story like OoT follows up perfectly with MM, in 1998 & 2000, and now we have BOTW in 2017 and its sequel in 202(2? or 3?)

It’s very exciting stuff imo. I might have to bump this thread more often, im sure there are plenty of ideas floating around out there. Plenty of fans who might think that they can imagine what might take place in this unprecedented game in its overworld. This is the first open world Zelda game sequel, and there’s no telling whether they will expand the world or condense it some, but if you ask me, it’s probably going to be expanded upon with the advent of new technology added to Link’s abilities, as well as the return of Sky Islands

It’s possible that BOTW’s sequel will have 1.5x the amount of exploration as BOTW
 

Alexios

Cores, shaders and BIOS oh my!
Really, the BOTW sequel will have an expansive overworld and new enemies as well as old ones and be a very fun game, amazing, if you're right you must be crowned a legit time traveller as nobody could imagine anything like that playing the original, nope.

I wanna see swimming underwater make a return, maybe give more water combat capabilities on top of the exploration and puzzling it would allow, but that's probably not happening.

Also, the stables should allow any mount this time and not just horses and they too should come with perks like the bear having more battle capabilities and others having swimming and gliding abilities too. And make them harder/more involving to tame.
 
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Breath of the wild set the foundations to go crazy with the sequel. Dungeons are must! Big and mini dungeons. Less shrines but more unique. They shouldn't all have the same look and music. I love how Nintendo are keeping so much under wraps. It really makes you look forward to seeing more of the game
 

Cutty Flam

Banned
I haven’t played RDR2 yet. What could you see Nintendo implementing? And what would benefit the game, if they include anything from RDR2?

I'm trying to get a feel for whether this next LoZ game is going to side towards the wilderness feel, and another isolated "thrown into the wild" atmosphere or will there be more excitement and premeditated danger within the land of Hyrule, sort of like there was in Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, The Wind Waker
 

EverydayBeast

thinks Halo Infinite is a new graphical benchmark
Part of what zelda games are trying to do is essentially put you on edge, dungeons are scary to casuals, Ganon intimidates, you cannot do a direct sequel to a game without core elements, people had mixed feelings about the direct sequel to ocarina of time, majoras mask, from my many friends majoras mask is something that is mentioned in high regards, frankly breath of the wild 2 is being held back by breath of the wild 1, and ultimately, I hope people go and buy the first breath of the wild.
 

Scotty W

Member
Everyone seems to think they are going to go back to dungeons in the sequel, but I think they will eliminate all dungeons and trials entirely.
 

MagnesD3

Member
I just want godlike memorable dungeons and bosses again. BOTW was good but it is much weaker in the certain core zelda respects of the best zeldas like TP AND Oot.
 
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Cutty Flam

Banned
Everyone seems to think they are going to go back to dungeons in the sequel, but I think they will eliminate all dungeons and trials entirely.
More puzzles. Basically shrines but in the outdoors.
Can it be pulled off in such a way that will be more fun than BOTW, without shrines and even omitting dungeons? And how would they go about the outside puzzles? This is just my personal take on that, but if they do not have dungeons of something in the way of dungeons then they're already putting themselves in a tougher position to create, and limiting the game itself. Thematically, it makes sense that Hidemaro Fujibayashi and Eiji Aonuma would go the route that both of you are suggesting, and maximize what can be done with the environment(s) within the overworld

But it seems like it could get kind of messy without any semblance of dungeons in the sequel. If there are no dungeons, and all puzzles and secrets are purely within the environments(s) of Hyrule, then it's going to be like the "Super Mario Odyssey of Zelda" where, generally, everything is going to be out in the open to discover. I think dungeons offer a lot of variety and the potential to create a novel experience in a Zelda game mainly with regards to story. Nintendo still hasn't exceeded, matched, or even come close to the likes of the Forest Temple, Fire Temple, Shadow Temple, and Spirit Temple in OoT when it comes to the story that was built before, during and after said dungeons. The four dungeons and the minidungeons in MM as well are prime examples of what dungeons can do for a Zelda game as well

I guess my main point is probably this: Without dungeons in a LoZ game, there will be less organization; possibilities and experiences, in part, are also left unexplored

Would it be a mistake to double down on the 'wild' theme and exploring the natural world and its contents?
 
i don't think its gonna be scaled much greater than the first game. The thing with BoTW is i think it already kind of maxed out what the switch could do early on, thats why they have those eclipse RAM resets in the game. The switch just doesn't have enough internal memory to add even MORE things to the world.

the changes will have to be lateral in a more creative way. Think of more ways to use what they already have available instead of building on top of the old stuff
 

GymWolf

Member
I haven’t played RDR2 yet. What could you see Nintendo implementing? And what would benefit the game, if they include anything from RDR2?

I'm trying to get a feel for whether this next LoZ game is going to side towards the wilderness feel, and another isolated "thrown into the wild" atmosphere or will there be more excitement and premeditated danger within the land of Hyrule, sort of like there was in Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, The Wind Waker
They could include npcs that actually react to things etc.

Npcs in botw are pretty basic.

Also maybe making a story that doens't sucks ass and spending more than 100 yen for the english VA?

They are very different games with different goals and with only the open world aspect in common, extremely gamey vs extremely realistic\cinematic.
 
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I was half hyped / half horrified by what the last trailer showed.
The sky stuff looked beautiful , this looks like what skyward sword should have been . But seeing the exact same landscape as before ?
We collectively have all scrubbed that game level for 600 million hours … I cannot fathom having any sense of enjoyment combing that landscape again. No matter what abilities are given . I want to be lost in a new bio dome period.
 
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